Get Better Sleep
The benefits of sleeping well go without saying. It basically boils down to increased energy levels, which translates into more productivity. There are several ways to go about getting more sleep. You’ll find that it may take a combination of things before you can get the hang of it. However, you will start experiencing a happier you once you start following these methods and suggestions.
If you are suffering with problems sleeping than you already know that it takes a toll on your overall energy levels after awhile. The ironic thing is that many Americans attempt to get in that extra hour, or push their body further than they should. At first it might seem like they are making headway. Yeah, they put in an extra hour or two at work, and the extra pay feels good. However, over the long-term it starts having an effect on overall work productivity and pretty soon all those extra hours that were pulled takes its toll on their body. In the end, their performance basically starts to decline and comes into question. This can be related to work, family life, relationships and what anything else in one’s life. Sleeping and sleeping well is important!
Better Sleep = Increased Energy = Better Life Results.
But what about the person who does get the appropriate amount of sleep? What about the guy who just allows himself to go to sleep when his body is asking for it? They might not be pulling those extra hours but guess what? These people usually have higher productivity due to increased energy levels. What starts to take place is better performance! They end up working 2x as fast if not 3x faster than the person who doesn’t sleep well. They know that they would only be fooling themselves if they tried to force their body to go further than it should. Ironically, because of their better performance they get promoted, and do better in such areas as family life, relationships and all that other fun stuff.
The reason why I bring this up is because a lot of people would sleep better at night if they just let things go. If they simply realize that they aren’t going to get it all done they would alleviate a lot of stress on their minds. I would also recommend that people develop a normal sleep routine where they go to bed everyday at a particular time. This will start getting the body fined tuned to shut down everyday at the same time. I have found for most workaholics this is the best way to go about things.
For most people the root of poor sleep is WORRY. (Except for those who have a chronic sleep disorder, but doctors are finding out everyday that even these people have deeper worries dwelling in their psyches.) Whether or not they are worried about something in the past or future, worry is worry. It is a useless energy that serves no purpose but to ruin someone’s life. I know that sounded kind of harsh, but that’s what worry does to most people if left unchecked. Nobody wins any kind of medal for worrying. I want you to really ponder for a moment what worry does. If you are suffering from poor sleep at night its probably because your worried about something.
The Root of Poor Sleep
So how do you stop the worry? Well to really stop worry in its tracks there are two major things you need to understand.
#1 Worrying thoughts are something that just show up randomly out of nowhere. If you listen closely to your mind you will notice that it’s not really you who is thinking the worrying thoughts. When it’s you that is thinking you think on purpose. But when it’s the egoic mind that thinks then it’s happening from your subconscious mind and not you. It’s important you know the difference. Just pay attention to where your mind is at during the day, and you will start noticing how it thinks all by itself.
#2 After realizing that the part of you that worries is not really YOU, then you have gained a huge portion of your power back and you are moving towards no longer being a slave to your mind. Now that you know this the next important step is gently putting your mind back in place. This is done by simply talking to it. Talking to yourself in a calm manner and saying, “Everything is fine now. Everything is already taken care of. I deeply love and accept that everything is fine.” (Or something very similar along those lines.) I know some of you might be thinking that you are deluding yourself with such talk, but the opposite is true on many levels. Remember, it serves you no good to stay up at night worrying about things that either haven’t happened yet or happened in the past. To think that it is doing you any good is the BIGGEST delusion of all. Understand that when you start telling yourself wonderful things like, “everything is fine, all is well, I deeply love myself” than you start to raise you conscious vibration. You start to align yourself with the very things you are affirming.
Try to take in deep breaths while you tell yourself self how well everything is, and how much you love yourself deeply. Remember even if it feels like a lie at first it’s best you just try it and see for yourself. The results of this practice are cumulative. Each time you make a positive affirmation you strengthen the vibration of “All is Well” around you. Pretty soon you’ll just say it a few times and you’ll find yourself off in dreamland. Upon arising you should notice a shift in your overall well-being. You will start feeling more relaxed and have higher energy levels throughout the day. If something happens and you start worrying again, apply the affirmation process more during the day. Even though you might not be trying to fall asleep it will still cause the worry inside you to subside. Worry is an all around energy drainer to begin with. It’s good just to gently tell yourself it’s fine.
I also want to stress that this isn’t about arguing with your mind. Remember to talk to yourself as calmly and loving as possible. Try to have fun with it. The worrying part of you would love to get the emotional charge of frustration going. Instead treat it as if it were a little kid who needs some sort of validation and needs to be told by you how everything is OK. Believe it or not, worry is at the root of many health problems and other human issues. Though you are applying this to sleeping, you will soon find other things clearing up in your overall well-being. Don’t be surprised if your relationships and finances start getting better as a result.
You guessed it. It causes sleep problems. And I know many people try to use it as a sure fire way to go to sleep. ( ::laugh:: ) I know I use to do it! I use to stuff my face with some sweets as if I were trying to overdoes on carbs to through myself into a food coma. The result would end up working. I would go to sleep, but the quality of sleep was very poor. At least compared to the type of sleep I get now. At the time I didn’t even realize that I was cutting my sleep efficacy in half with what I was doing. When I would wake up the following morning I would often have a hard time getting out of bed, and I would also be dripping with sweat. ( Which some would say was a sign of diabetes, but I believe it as the body’s way of attempting to detox itself in the night. )
Don’t Eat After 5pm
Now I know this one can be a killer. Not eating anything after 5pm was a task for me but I ended being able to do it. So why is it so important to your sleep? Because after the time of 5pm your body starts to go into immune function mode. Literally. So if you end up loading your body up with foods than your body has to take that energy and put it into digestion. This energy around this time is extremely important to healing the body’s organs. At first glance that doesn’t sound like it has anything to do with sleeping well. However it has a major role in your productivity levels the next day and then your sleep secondary. First, your body will have more energy each and everyday you can follow this until you reach optimal energy levels. Secondly, your organs, skin, hair, and nails will all start to become much healthier. Your body also starts to deal with stress a lot easier at this point as well. Once this happens you will find it easier to go to sleep, and quality of sleep start to increase as well.
Give yourself sometime to really get into the habit of all of this. Like I said before it’s not the easiest thing to undertake, however the results are well worth it. I also wrote an article called “Don’t Eat After 5pm” you might find useful in dealing with sleeping. Next to dismissing your worries this is perhaps the next most effective thing you can do to getting a better night’s rest.
Other great methods and suggestions:
Drinking Chamomile Tea or Sleep Aid Tea - I used to drink these and they were effective. I wouldn’t say they are as effective as the first two methods I spoke about above. However they are a great natural way of aiding in better sleep. You can find these teas at any major grocery store.
Meditation - Putting aside some time to meditate before going to sleep or some time in your day is an excellent way of de-stressing. Understand that stress is an energy, and processes like meditation help to either lift or convert that stress into something else. The effects of meditation are cumulative, and you will start seeing major results within a month. If you have the money I strongly suggest getting lessons from Qi Gong Masters or other people who specialize in meditation. I also wrote an article on Being Blissful 24/7 you might find handy.
Exercising - This can be a great way to burn off some extra energy. Many experts agree it’s best to do it in the beginning of your day however for optimal benefits. Exercising too late in the evening may reverse the effect you’re looking for. Keep in mind that exercise is also another great stress reliever. (Are you starting to notice just how important de-stressing your life is? )
I hope this all helps the quality of your sleep. If you find that the methods in here don’t work you might want to consult your doctor and see what they have to say. Remember that the number one sleep killer is worry. Please let me know if this benefits you.
What is this stuff?
